Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) image sensor includes a plurality of color pixels, and a plurality of distance measuring pixels. Where the plurality of color pixels and the plurality of distance measuring pixels are arranged in an array, and a group of distance measuring pixels, from among the plurality of distance measuring pixels, are disposed so that a corner of each distance measuring pixel in the group of distance-measuring pixels is adjacent to a corner of an adjacent distance-measuring pixel in the group of distance-measuring pixels. The group of distance measuring pixels is capable of jointly outputting one distance measurement signal.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes at least one semiconductor column having a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The device also includes at least one gate electrode is disposed on the first sidewall and at least one control gate electrode disposed on the second sidewall. The device further includes at least one charge storage layer is disposed between the second sidewall and the at least one control gate electrode. The at least one gate electrode and the at least one control gate electrode may be disposed on opposite sides of the at least one semiconductor column such that they commonly control a channel region in the semiconductor column.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include first and second auxiliary gate electrodes and a semiconductor layer crossing the first and second auxiliary gate electrodes. A primary gate electrode may be provided on the semiconductor layer so that the semiconductor layer is between the primary gate electrode and the first and second auxiliary gate electrodes. Moreover, the first and second auxiliary gate electrodes may be configured to induce respective first and second field effect type source/drain regions in the semiconductor layer. Related methods are also discussed.

Abstract: A highly integrated non-volatile memory device and a method of operating the non-volatile memory device are provided. The non-volatile memory device includes a semiconductor layer. A plurality of upper control gate electrodes are arranged above the semiconductor layer. A plurality of lower control gate electrodes are arranged below the semiconductor layer, and the plurality of upper control gate electrodes and the plurality of lower control gate electrodes are disposed alternately. A plurality of upper charge storage layers are interposed between the semiconductor layer and the upper control gate electrodes. A plurality of lower charge storage layers are interposed between the semiconductor layer and the lower control gate electrodes.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device may include a semiconductor substrate, a control gate electrode recessed in the semiconductor substrate, a storage node layer between the control gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate, a tunneling insulating layer between the storage node layer and the semiconductor substrate, a blocking insulating layer between the storage node layer and the control gate electrode, and first and second channel regions surrounding the control gate electrode and separated by a pair of opposing separating insulating layers. A method of operating the semiconductor memory device may include programming data in the storage node layer by charge tunneling through the blocking insulating layer, thus achieving relatively high reliability and efficiency.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes memory transistors disposed on a semiconductor substrate in a NAND string. A string select transistor is disposed at a first end of the NAND string, and a ground select transistor is disposed at a second end of the NAN string. Bit lines are electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate outside of the string select transistor and a gate electrode of the ground select transistor.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and a method of manufacturing the non-volatile memory device are provided. At least one first semiconductor layer and at least one second semiconductor layer are disposed. At least one control gate electrode is disposed between the at least one first semiconductor layer and the at least one second semiconductor layer. At least one first layer selection line is capacitively coupled to the at least one first semiconductor layer. At least one second layer selection line is capacitively coupled to the at least one second semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The non-volatile memory device may include a semiconductor substrate having a body and a pair of fins. A bridge insulating layer may non-electrically connect upper portions of the pair of fins to define a void between the pair of fins. Outer surfaces of the pair of fins are the surfaces of the pair of fins that do not face the void and inner surfaces of the pair of fins are the surfaces of the pair of fins that do face the void. The non-volatile memory device may further include at least one control gate electrode that may cover at least a portion of outer surfaces of the pair of fins, may extend over the bridge insulating layer, and may be isolated from the semiconductor substrate. At least one pair of gate insulating layers may be between the at least one control gate electrode and the pair of fins, and at least one pair of storage nodes may be between the at least one pair of gate insulating layers and the at least one control gate electrode.

Abstract: Disclosed are semiconductor apparatuses and methods of fabricating the same. According to the methods, the number of operations for fabricating the semiconductor apparatuses having a plurality of layers may be the same as the number of operations for fabricating a semiconductor apparatus having one layer. The semiconductor apparatuses may include first active regions extending in the same direction, in parallel, separated from each other and including first and second impurity doped regions on opposite ends of the first active regions from each other. The semiconductor apparatuses may further include second active regions on a layer above the first active regions, extending in the same direction as the first active regions, separated from each other, in parallel, and including first and second impurity doped regions on opposite ends of the second active regions from each other.

Abstract: Provided are relatively higher-performance wire-type semiconductor devices and relatively economical methods of fabricating the same. A wire-type semiconductor device may include at least one pair of support pillars protruding above a semiconductor substrate, at least one fin protruding above the semiconductor substrate and having ends connected to the at least one pair of support pillars, at least one semiconductor wire having ends connected to the at least one pair of support pillars and being separated from the at least one fin, a common gate electrode surrounding the surface of the at least one semiconductor wire, and a gate insulating layer between the at least one semiconductor wire and the common gate electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a pixel array of a three-dimensional image sensor. The pixel array includes unit pixel patterns each including a color pixel and a distance-measuring pixel arranged in an array form. The unit pixel patterns are arranged in such a way that a group of distance-measuring pixels are disposed adjacent to each other.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels disposed in an array, each pixel comprising a first region and a second region, the first region and the second region separated from each other in a semiconductor layer, and doped with impurities having different conductivities from each other, a photoelectric conversion region formed between the first and second regions, and at least one metal nanodot that focuses an incident light onto the photoelectric conversion region.

Abstract: Semiconductor devices having a gate-all-around (GAA) structure capable of higher operating performance may be provided. A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate, at least one gate electrode, and at least one gate insulating layer. The semiconductor substrate may have a body, at least one supporting post protruding from the body, and at least one pair of fins separated from the body, wherein both ends of each fin of the at least one pair of fins are connected to and supported by the at least one supporting post. The at least one gate electrode may enclose a portion of at least one fin of the at least one pair of fins of the semiconductor substrate, and may be insulated from the semiconductor substrate. The at least one gate insulating layer may be interposed between the at least one gate electrode and the at least one pair of fins of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a bulb-type light concentrated solar cell module that includes a reflective mirror unit that is concavely formed to convergingly reflect sunlight and has a first hole on a bottom thereof; a solar cell that generates electrical energy in response to light received from the reflective mirror unit; a socket that blocks the first hole at a lower part of the reflective mirror unit and is fixed on the reflective mirror unit; and a power control unit that is electrically connected to the solar cell to generate electricity in the socket.

Abstract: In a memory cell programming method, first through n-th programming operations are performed to program first through n-th bits of the n bits of data using the plurality of threshold voltage distributions. The first through n-th programming operations are performed sequentially. A threshold voltage difference between threshold voltage distributions used in the n-th programming operation is less than or equal to at least one threshold voltage difference between threshold voltage distributions used in the first through (n?1)-th programming operations.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device is provided that includes; a first semiconductor layer extending in a first direction, a second semiconductor layer extending in parallel with and separated from the first semiconductor layer, an isolation layer between the first semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layer, a first control gate electrode between the first semiconductor layer and the isolation layer, a second control gate electrode between the second semiconductor layer and the isolation layer, wherein the second control gate electrode and first control gate electrode are respectively disposed at opposite sides of the isolation layer, a first charge storing layer between the first control gate electrode and the first semiconductor layer, and a second charge storing layer between the second control gate electrode and the second semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Provided are methods of operating NAND nonvolatile memory devices. The operating methods include applying a read voltage or a verify voltage to a selected memory cell from among a plurality of memory cells of a cell string to verify or read a programmed state of the selected memory cell; applying a first pass voltage to non-selected memory cells closest to the selected memory cell of the cell string; applying a second pass voltage to second closest non-selected memory cells to the selected memory cell; and applying a third pass voltage to other non-selected memory cells, where the first pass voltage is less than each of the second and third pass voltages and the second pass voltage is greater than the third pass voltage.

Abstract: Provided are memory devices and memory programming methods. A memory device may include: a multi-level cell array that includes a plurality of multi-level cells; a programming unit that programs a first data page in the plurality of multi-level cells and programs a second data page in a multi-level cell from among the plurality of multi-level cells in which the first data page is programmed; an error analysis unit that analyzes read error information corresponding to the first data page based on a read voltage level to determine whether to correct a read error based on the analyzed read error information; and a controller that adjusts the read voltage level of the first data page depending on the determination result. Through this, it is possible to reduce an error occurrence when reading and/or programming a data page.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate pattern disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a body region disposed on the gate pattern and a first impurity doping region and a second impurity doping region. The gate pattern is disposed below the body region and the first impurity doping region and the second impurity doping region.

Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device may be operated in a multi-bit mode at a lower operating current and with higher integrated of the memory device. A first buried electrode may be used as a first bit line, a second buried electrode may be used as a second bit line, and/or a gate electrode may be used as a word line. First and second resistance layers may be programmed with 2-bit data and the 2-bit data may be read from the first and second resistance layers. More than 2-bit data may be programmed and read using more than 2 buried electrodes.